THE BLUE HOUSE
The Blue House was designed for a young family who wanted amodern, energy efficient and affordable house to call home. Their building site presented us with numerous challenges and constraints. An existing sewer easement cut diagonally through it, leaving a small trapezoid area to build on. In order to maximize the square footage we designed a vertical, tree house structure elevated from the ground in order to not disturb the roots of the two mature trees that we wanted to preserve. Inspired by Japanese aesthetics our clients opted for clean lines, simple yet visually striking shape and open floor plan that provides visual continuity between inside and outside. The modest construction budget dictated the off the shelf choice of materials. We kept a simple palette of finishes adding visual interest through the use of bold colors and warm plywood walls.
Recipient of 2014 Matsumoto Prize Third Place Jury Award.
completed: June 2013 | 950 sf | credit Nicole Rittenour | structural: Eric McDonald, McSE, PLLC | photography: Jennifer Coates
